Work Text:
Shanks had always wanted Children.
Not even nessersarily his own. He always loved how his father, Roger, acted and treated them and knew from an early age that he would want something like that.
After Roger died, he had yearned for the feeling his family gave him. Buggy left him, disappointed in Shanks for not wanting to take over Rogers Job. Shanks just couldn't. It didn't feel right.
When he build his crew, he got a new family. He wouldn't have expected it but his crew is like his best friends and Brothers (well maybe except Benn...i mean come on) and Shanks loved the familiarity. He knew that he could never leave his crew behind. He loved them more than anything.
It took years of dating for Shanks to mention it to Benn. His partner had smiled, saying he was sure they would someday get to archive that dream.
And in some way it happened sooner than later....
~☆☆☆☆~
Despite the island the red hair pirates docked at being quite small there was a lot of chaos. They were sitting in the forest after getting some booze from a bar and just drunk and talked before they would set sail again.
It happened very suddenly. one moment the only sound that could be heard were the chatter of his crew and then there was a gunshot, followed by multible voices that yelled and footsteps that sounded like running. Shanks was immediantly paying attention and despite no outsider noticing, so was his crew.
They were more gunshots and quick footsteps that seemed to be approaching the place they were at. That was something that could also be heard by the voices getting louder and clearer 'where the fuck is she' one guy says 'i think i saw her over there!' another replied and then the footsteps continued.
Shanks was pulled back into his current place of being by Benn who tapped him on the shoulder. Shanks looked up at his partner who just stared at something in the distance. Shanks follows his eyes and then he stops in his tracks.
Standing there, half hidden by a tree and the shadows of the night, was a small Girl. She looked no age older than 10 and was staring at the pirates with wide eyes. That was until the yells returned and approached them rapitly. The Girl flinches and proceeds to step a few steps closer when more gunshots were heard, hitting the trees around them.
Shanks frowns a bit before elbowing Benn who immediantly understood and silently and barely noticable stepped closer toward the kid.
When the voices got close enough, Shanks could finally catch a glimpes of them and it made his breath hitch.
It was the Marine...
Why were they hunting a little girl? Well who cares! Now Shanks needs to act before he would regret it. He looks at the girl who has noticed Beckman moving and watches him intensely "hey kid..." Shanks begins, getting her immediant but not full attention "is the Marine looking for you?" He asked, calm but vary. The girl just nods slowly and then Shanks knew he had to save her.
He reaches out with a hand "do yoh mind coming over here?" He asked and then watches confusion spread on her face before slowly stepping forwards, kinda like a cat before jumping up at it's prey. She stops right in front of him and hesitates for a second before taking his extended hand. Shanks immediantly but carefully pulls her behind him. Benn stands behind her too, looking like he wants to settle a hand on her shoulder but doesn't to not scare her.
Just as the redhead suspected he soon saw a group of marines emerge from the shadows. They all stopped in their tracks once they spotted the pirate crew. Someone that unmistakebly looked like a leader stepped forward. He eyes him up and down "red haired shanks" he said in a dangerous tone that made most of his mates tense up. Behind him Benn has now desided on setting his hand on her shoulder and pushing a bit. The girl immediantly understood and crouched down a bit. Shanks would rather die than let them have her.
He gave them a false smile "yes?" He said in a honey smooth voice that made the marines tense up. The captain of the marines looked at him "we're looking for a girl...have you seen her?" They asked and it took everything in Shanks to not jump him for being so bluntly honest about that. He could feel the kid tense up at her being mentioned.
Shanks looks at his partner as a sad excuse to glance at the child. Her gaze was fixated on the ground and her face was a mix of fear and guilt.
Shanks redirects his look towards the group in front of him before shacking his head "we have not..we would notice a little girl in this forest" Shanks explains and the marine officer looks unconvinced buf doesn't pry "alright...we'll see ourselves off then.." he said and soon they all left.
They all let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. Benn directs the girl in front of Shanks again and so they were facing each other again "why were they looking for you?" Shanks asked and the kid looks down. She takes a deep breath in "i-they...because i'm wanted..?" She explained at Shanks was actually shocked by that. A 10 year old on a wanted poster? That was new.
Shanks smiled at her. The captain had his mind set on what to do with her ever since their eyes locked and after one glance towards Benn, he knew too. He hold out his hand that she slowly takes and then he covers hers with his other "what's your name Sweetie?" Shanks asked at the girl looked almost defeated...
"Nico Robin, Sir..."
She said it so quietly that barely anyone heard but when they did, they all had wide eyes. Nico Robin? The girl that sunk multible warships at the mere age of 8? It may have been a story Shanks never believed but he still heard of it.
Thag would explain why she looks so upset. Nico Robin was the girl that gets kicked ouf everywhere she stays or gets ratted out. She was obviously worried they'd to the same. Shanks gave her another reassuring smile "would you like to stay with us? Sail with us and gain a family?" He asked and no one could miss the way her face lights up.
She smiled at him "really?" She tried to reasure, probably just for her own peace of mind, but Shanks still nods "yes! Would you like to find a new home in us?" He asked again and Robins smile has gone positivly radiant now before she enthusiastcally nods. She hesitates but Shanks knew what she wanted next and so he pulled her into a small hug that she recipocated.
Shanks stood up, pulling Robin up with him. She was now sitting comfortably on his arm and looks around at the crew who gave her true, reassuring smiles.
~☆☆☆☆~
The next morning at dawn the crew loaded up the ship while Shanks and Benn try to find a way to get Robin past the heavily guarded town.
They soon settle for making her wrap around Shanks waist and hide her underneath his coat. Together they walk towards the ship, past most marines with only a few suspitions but that's just because he's...y'know...Shanks?
One they Ship they finished up packing when Shanks and Benn with a small Nico Robin still hiding jumped onto it.
The island moved out of vision when they finally let Robin jump down from Shanks body. She followed the redhead around like a shadow, quiet and unnoticable. Shanks used that to bring her to the kitchen "would you like some food?" He asked and Robin gave a small smile "no tha-" by the mention of food her belly decided to make itself known, and it seemed hungry. Shanks laughed at that before telling one of his Crew members to whip something up real quick and so 5 minutes later Robin was served a small dinner (breakfast?) and was sitting with Shanks at a table.
She eyed the food and then took a bite. The moment she did that, her body decided she couldn't wait anymore and gulped down the food, any table manners forgotten and honestly Shanks didn't mind.
When she was done and put away her plate (and had to be stopped from washing it herself) Shanks decided to show her to a place she could stay at. She was not only a child that's approaching her teen-years but also a young girl so she could in no way stay with the rest of the crew.
She seemed satisfied with the room she had been given and Shanks assumed she would want some privacy while she sleeps and so he leaves her to her own devices and goes to sleep in his room.
~☆☆☆☆~
(For context: Shanks and Benn both sleep in a Captains room away from the rest of the crew)
It was even later at night when Shanks was awoken by quiet footsteps on deck. He was became a light sleeper when he had to sail by himself so any small noise awoke him. The rest of his crew was not. They could sleep through an ambush as far as Shanks was concerned...
He quietly get up, trying not to wake Benn and makes his way on deck to check it out.
Outside he was greeted by the sight of Robin who was sitting on Deck with her legs pulled up to her chest and she was hugging herself. She looked so small and...scared...it made Shanks heart ache. He slowly walks up to her and sits down beside her. They just sat in silence for a while, the only sound that could be heard were the waves and ever so often quiet sobs from Robin. Shanks looked at her "what's wrong?" He asked with concern.
Robin lifts her head to look at him with red eyes that were still filled with tears "i...had a nightmare..." she said, voice barely above a whisper. Shanks frowns with worry "you wanna talk about it?" He asked and Robin shakes her head "...not really..i don't even wanna think about it but i can't stop!" She exclaims, almost sounding angry at her mind. Shanks gives her a sad smile as they both look back at sea "it's normal" Shanks begins. Robin just shoots him a confused look but soon redirects her eyes on the sea.
"A child that experienced as many traumatising things as you..will have nightmares...your mind is trying to deal with everything by making you remember...it's painful..i know but it'll get better..." Shanks explains with a sad smile.
They stay silent for a while with Robin still sobbing. Once Shanks heard less sobs he looked at the girl "how about this..." he began and Robin looked at him, tilting her head "you can stay with me and Beck in our room.." Robin brightens up a bit at that. Ah so she doesn't like to be alone... "and tomorrow we do anything you like..okay?" That seems to brighten her mood in an instant. She gives him a bright smile as she nods excidingly.
Shanks starts smiling too and soon they stand up. Shanks picks her up and carries her towards his room. She lays down between him and Beckman and soon all three of them sleep like a true family.
~☆☆☆☆~
The next morning the crew discovers some things about that kid. She's got quite a dark humor which was discovered by her joking about Shanks losing his left arm while a couple of them play around with or sharpen their knifes and swords. It gave most of them actual goosebumps. She also likes to read which they found out when they saw the light in her eyes when they showed her their collection of books. She read for a few hours before emerging in Deck again, a lot happier than she had been.
She also seemed to know a lot which made sense if she reads about anything. She knows the weirdest facts about stuff but Shanks found it cool. She also liked to listen to people talk which was a perfect match for Shanks who really likes to talk. She was very quiet in general but they didn't have the feeling it was because she's scared but because she's just like that.
Within a week the entire crew swore they would kill to protect her and Shanks started calling her his daughter. Robin fit right in. It's like they all had been missing a puzzle piece that they have finally found after years of looking.
It was perfect. Shanks finally made his dream of having a child come true and he couldn't have been happier. He loved Robin with his whole heart and was proud to call her his daughter. Even the smallest of her archivements he celebrated and if you asked Shanks...
It was perfect.